Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[MonitorServerUptime is a monitoring solution for small websites]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/13/monitorserveruptime-is-a-monitoring-solution-for-small-websites/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/13/monitorserveruptime-is-a-monitoring-solution-for-small-websites/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/13/monitorserveruptime-is-a-monitoring-solution-for-small-websites/#commentsFiled under: ,

monitorserveruptime

Large websites (like DownloadSquad or any other major blog/site) have full-time sysadmins, dedicated hosting facilities, and a ton of fail-safe mechanisms to ensure that they're always up and available.

However, if you have a small site that's running off of a shared host you may sometimes be surprised to discover that it's down. That rarely happens, but when it does happen you usually discover it yourself -- or a friend tells you. By then, there's no telling how many visitors you may have lost (dozens, usually, but that's a lot of visitors for a small, personal site).

MonitorServerUptime is an inexpensive service (US $3 per URL/server per month) that promises to send you an email or SMS alert (worldwide) whenever your site goes down.

What you do from there is really up to you. When you're using a shared server and need to rely on your host's support services, though, there's often not much that you can do (outside of sending an email and hoping for a quick and effective reply). But still, being one of the first to know that your own website is down does help.

Know of a similar service which you think is a better deal? Tell us!

Download SquadMonitorServerUptime is a monitoring solution for small websites originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alertsdowntimemonitorsmssysadminFri, 13 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Passmark DiskCheckup is a free, simple SMART monitoring tool]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/13/passmark-diskcheckup-is-a-free-simple-smart-monitoring-tool/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/13/passmark-diskcheckup-is-a-free-simple-smart-monitoring-tool/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/13/passmark-diskcheckup-is-a-free-simple-smart-monitoring-tool/#commentsFiled under: ,

Erez might have been less than thrilled with Acronis Drive Monitor the other day, but I have a feeling he'll like Passmark's DiskCheckup a lot more. They're the same people who produce the awesome app BurnInTest -- one of my all-time favorite technician tools.

It's a simple little tool which keeps an eye on the SMART status of your hard drives. In addition to displaying an exhaustive amount of information about your drives (everything from its model and serial number to standards compliance and feature support), DiskCheckup can also park itself in your system tray and keeps a watchful eye on HDD temperatures. And yes, Erez, you can choose between Celsius and Fahrenheit...

Once your threshold has been crossed, DiskCheckup can either display a notification or send you an email notification.

One tweak I'd like to see added is for DiskCheckup to display drive temperatures when hovering over the system tray icon. It's not critical, however, because I'm far more interested in being notified when something is wrong -- but it's still nice to have the option.
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Download SquadPassmark DiskCheckup is a free, simple SMART monitoring tool originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hard driveHardDrivehddmonitorSMARTtemptemperatureTue, 13 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GSmartControl lets you monitor your hard drive's health in detail]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/06/22/gsmartcontrol-lets-you-monitor-your-hard-drives-health-in-detai/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/06/22/gsmartcontrol-lets-you-monitor-your-hard-drives-health-in-detai/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/06/22/gsmartcontrol-lets-you-monitor-your-hard-drives-health-in-detai/#commentsFiled under: ,

gsmartcontrol

S.M.A.R.T is an acronym that stands for Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology. It's a nice bit of intelligence that hard drive makers have been including into drive firmware for several years now. In simple terms, it's supposed to let you know that a drive is about to crash before the crash happens. You can then take measures to protect your data or, perhaps, return the drive to the manufacturer (if it's still under warranty).

One interesting thing is that, while drives have been making this information available for quite a while, I am not aware of any built-in Windows features that take it into account. In other words, I don't think I get an automatic pop-up saying "your hard drive is dying" when doom is impending.

Instead, to access that information and try to learn something, I need to use a standalone monitoring application. GSmartControl is one such application, and it seems very solid. It's open-source, free, and cross-platform (GTK-based, so it runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux).

It's aimed at power users and administrators. You won't find a large, green, anti-virus style button that says "Everything is Okay." Instead, you'll find a wealth of statistics with cryptic names like "Reallocation Event Count." When you hover over each, you'll get an extensive explanation of what it means.

GSmartControl also lets you test the drive. The shortest test takes two minutes and consists of a "collection of test routines that have the highest chance of detecting drive problems."

This isn't the only tool for doing this kind of thing, and it is utterly lacking in any type of visual flair. But it's free, solid, and open-source.

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Download SquadGSmartControl lets you monitor your hard drive's health in detail originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hddhealthmonitorsmarttroubleshootingTue, 22 Jun 2010 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SecondBar put the OS X menubar on both of your Mac's dual monitors]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/06/03/secondbar-put-the-os-x-menubar-on-both-of-your-macs-dual-monito/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/06/03/secondbar-put-the-os-x-menubar-on-both-of-your-macs-dual-monito/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/06/03/secondbar-put-the-os-x-menubar-on-both-of-your-macs-dual-monito/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you are among the fortunate souls who run a Mac with a dual monitor setup, you'll want to check out SecondBar. Normally, you'd be stuck with the OS X menubar on just one monitor, forcing you to move your mouse back to your main screen whenever you want to access it. SecondBar solves that problem by putting a second menu bar on your other monitor.

SecondBar has a few weaknesses -- it's Snow Leopard-only, and it doesn't copy your extra menubar apps onto the second bar. It does give you access to the Apple Menu and the menubar for the active application, though, which can be extremely useful. it also has keyboard shortcuts to resize and reposition windows to one half of the screen, in case you need to view documents side by side on that second monitor.

Oh, and SecondBar is also completely free. Probably good, considering how pricey those delicious Apple Cinema Displays are.

Download SquadSecondBar put the OS X menubar on both of your Mac's dual monitors originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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diskpulse

Sometimes you may want to know what's going on with your disk at a given moment. Maybe you're just curious that way, or maybe you're trying to troubleshoot a problem or detect whether or not there's a keylogger on your PC.

For those times, DiskPulse can come in very handy. There are three versions of the software: Free, Pro and Ultimate. Naturally, I tested the free one, and it's surprisingly solid.

By default, you get a flood of file changes from all over the system when you start monitoring. It's very easy to narrow down on exactly what you're interested in, though. You can set it to log only certain events (file creation but not modification, for example) or monitor only specific folders and not the whole disk.

One of the free edition's few downsides is the way it pushes you to buy the paid version. Some parts of the interface are disabled, but they're not grayed out. Instead, they seem operational until you click them, and then you're presented with a dialog that lets you know that this part of the program would only become available if you buy the full version (which really is inexpensive at US $25).

I have no problem with the developers trying to convert me over to the paid version; they have to make a living somehow. However, they might want to consider a more tactful way of doing it.

This minor niggle aside, DiskPulse is a powerful and well-built piece of software, which I hope I will never have to use -- at least not for security purposes.

Download SquadInspect disk activity in real-time with DiskPulse originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activitydeveloperdiskmonitorsystem toolsSystemToolsTue, 01 Jun 2010 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portable Hotkey Resolution Changer does super-fast display mode changes]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/28/portable-hotkey-resolution-changer-does-super-fast-display-mode/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/28/portable-hotkey-resolution-changer-does-super-fast-display-mode/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/28/portable-hotkey-resolution-changer-does-super-fast-display-mode/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you do a lot of resolution swapping on your PC, it get to be kind of a pain clicking through to your display properties all the time. While there are plenty of apps which provide hotkeys to change display modes, Hotkey Resolution Changer is a nice alternative.

HRC is totally portable, making it a nice utility to add to your USB flash drive. Set up the modes you need on your desktop, laptop, and work machines and use HRC to swap between them all. I like the idea of having one app to handle changes instead of relying on on the NVidia, ATI, Intel, etc. control apps.

It's especially useful for me on my workbench. Customer machines often come in with resolutions which were common in the early 90s. HRC gives me a quick way to make the switch to a higher res while I do my work and I can run it from a network share. Sweet!

[via Techie Buzz]
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Download SquadPortable Hotkey Resolution Changer does super-fast display mode changes originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>changedisplayhotkeymodesportableresolutionswapusbvideoWed, 28 Apr 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Clever app keeps your mouse from jumping between monitors too quickly on dual-display setups]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/15/clever-app-keeps-your-mouse-from-jumping-between-monitors-too-qu/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/15/clever-app-keeps-your-mouse-from-jumping-between-monitors-too-qu/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/15/clever-app-keeps-your-mouse-from-jumping-between-monitors-too-qu/#commentsFiled under: ,

Running dual (or triple, or quad) displays has gotten a lot more common of late, thanks in part to constantly falling monitor prices. Some things about multiple displays can be a little frustrating -- minding the divide, for example.

If you have Windows set to extend your desktop, your mouse moves instantly from one screen to the next. That can be bothersome when a program's controls (like a scrollbar) are near the edge of your display. Move a fraction of an inch too far, and you're mouse jumps to your secondary desktop.

Dual Display Mouse Manager offers a solution. Once installed, it creates a no-jump zone which prevents your mouse from leaving one display prematurely. It's like a weak force field -- you can still break out and get your mouse onto your other display, you just have to keep moving. The momentary pause provided by DDMM makes landing your pointer on those controls much easier.

DDMM is packaged as a .zip file and it's mostly portable -- .Net is required to use it, but you've got that already if you're using Vista or Windows 7.
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Download SquadClever app keeps your mouse from jumping between monitors too quickly on dual-display setups originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>annoyancesdesktopdisplaydualedgejumpmonitormonitorsmousemultiplescrollbarThu, 15 Apr 2010 08:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Add volume and battery meters (and more!) to your Windows 7 superbar]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/08/add-volume-and-battery-meters-and-more-to-your-windows-7-supe/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/08/add-volume-and-battery-meters-and-more-to-your-windows-7-supe/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/08/add-volume-and-battery-meters-and-more-to-your-windows-7-supe/#commentsFiled under: ,

We've covered a few Windows 7 friendly status indicators before -- like these two for monitoring your CPU and memory utilization. Another developer decided to have a go at his own version, and the results are pretty slick.

Five meters are available: power, volume, disk, CPU, and memory. The meters are very configurable, with options for custom colors, overlays, and whether or not to launch them at startup. Each one uses about 6MB of memory and no install is required -- just drop the .exe files somewhere on your hard drive and fire 'em up.

While I'm not one to keep a constant eye on things like CPU, ram, and diskspace (my Spider Sense usually kicks in when there's a problem on one of those fronts), the volume and battery indicators are handy. I especially like the nice, obvious mute indicator -- which leaves no doubt as to whether or not unwanted system sounds are going to disturb anyone nearby.

You can download the superbar meters from the developer's website.

[via The Windows Club]
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Download SquadAdd volume and battery meters (and more!) to your Windows 7 superbar originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do you need to know about a new product release the minute it happens? Are you watching Amazon price changes like a hawk? Is your F5 key worn out from overuse? You might want to look into some automatic ways to monitor website changes. I know RSS is the trendy way to keep up with new posts on websites -- I use it all the time -- but some sites don't offer RSS feeds, and some people either don't know how to use RSS or don't like it.

That's where site monitoring services come in. Sure, it might be a little 2005, but it can still help you get the concert tickets you want as soon as they go on sale. Here are 10 alternative ways to track changes to a website. They're all free, and they all work whether the site you're monitoring has an RSS feed or not.


Check4Change

If you're running Firefox, you can install this add-on to periodically check a website for changes. The frequency of the checks is up to you. The major problem with Check4Change is that you have to keep the site you want to monitor open in your browser. You can tell Check4Change to use a pop-up, or an alert sound to notify you, or just bring the browser window to the front.

Update Scanner

Update Scanner is a competing Firefox option that places an icon in the status bar. Click to pop up a panel listing all the sites you're monitoring, so you can visit the sites, manually check them for changes, or set preferences. Update Scanner checks once a day by default, but you can set an interval as short as 5 minutes.

Continue reading 10 free ways to keep track of changes to any website, without an RSS reader

Download Squad10 free ways to keep track of changes to any website, without an RSS reader originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>changesfeaturesmonitorsite monitoringSiteMonitoringtrackingupdateswatchMon, 08 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nocturne switches your Mac's display into night time mode]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/10/nocturne-switches-your-macs-display-into-night-time-mode/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/10/nocturne-switches-your-macs-display-into-night-time-mode/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/10/nocturne-switches-your-macs-display-into-night-time-mode/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Universal Access preference pane on a Mac allows you to invert the colors on your display, but a neat little app called Nocturne goes a lot further, providing a highly-customizable way to deal with issues of colorblindness or eye strain. Nocturne has two modes -- day and night -- and you can change the color and brightness settings on each to suit your individual demands. If you have a MacBook Pro, Nocturne even works with your computer's built-in light sensor.

Nocturne recognizes that certain features of OS X look terrible with the screen colors inverted or in monochrome, so it gives you the option to hide your desktop picture and turn off window shadows. Even if you have no vision issues, it can occasionally be easier on the eyes to go into night time mode. Unfortunately, there's no timer mode to switch from day to night automatically without a light sensor, but that feature might be added to Nocturne in the future.

[via FreeDownloadADay]

Download SquadNocturne switches your Mac's display into night time mode originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>colordisplayinverseinvertlightmonochromenocturnepreferencessettingsSun, 10 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pingdom Desktop Notifier tells you when your web site goes down]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/23/pingdom-desktop-notifier-tells-you-when-your-web-site-goes-down/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/23/pingdom-desktop-notifier-tells-you-when-your-web-site-goes-down/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/23/pingdom-desktop-notifier-tells-you-when-your-web-site-goes-down/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A little while back, the Pingdom crew released a handy iPhone app which enables on-the-go monitoring of your website through their service. Now they've added a desktop application to the mix - perfect for those times when you're relaxing comfortably at your workspace.

The notifier runs on Windows XP, Vista, and 7, and it's dead simple to set up and use. Install it, enter your credentials, and the system tray icon appears. With any luck, it'll go green. That's good. Red, not so good. When things go south, the alert (inset above) appears and provides buttons to jump to your Pingdom log or visit the offending site (just to satisfy your curiosity).

The Pingdom Desktop Notifier is a free download, and a single-site monitoring account is also free.

Download SquadPingdom Desktop Notifier tells you when your web site goes down originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alertalertsmonitormonitoringnotifierpingdomuptimeweb siteWebSiteWed, 23 Dec 2009 13:12:00 EST<![CDATA[SheepDog rounds up stray application windows on multi-monitor setups]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/10/sheepdog-rounds-up-stray-application-windows-on-multi-monitor-se/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/10/sheepdog-rounds-up-stray-application-windows-on-multi-monitor-se/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/11/10/sheepdog-rounds-up-stray-application-windows-on-multi-monitor-se/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It doesn't happen often, but every now and then I receive a customer's laptop which just doesn't want to believe it's no longer attached to an external monitor. And it never fails - some important app is going to appear in the display Twilight Zone.

If only there was some kind of digital shepherd to corral those errant windows. Hey, if not a shepherd, why not SheepDog?

It's a tiny, portable application whose sole purpose is to bring apps that have wandered back to the primary display. Fire it up, and the tray icon listens for a hotket combination to be pressed. In the options screen you can customize your key combo and also change the system tray icon.

Hit the hotkey (or right click the system tray icon and select reposition) and any offending application windows are instantly moved.

At only 20Kb, this baby is going straight on my USB flash drive with all the other handy utilities I need once in a blue moon.

Download SquadSheepDog rounds up stray application windows on multi-monitor setups originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>desktopdisplayhidden windowHiddenWindowmultiple monitorsMultipleMonitorsopensourcerepositionwindow managementWindowManagementTue, 10 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BattCursor does in-your-face battery alerts using Aero Glass and more]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/10/battcursor-does-in-your-face-battery-alerts-using-aero-glass-and/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/10/battcursor-does-in-your-face-battery-alerts-using-aero-glass-and/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/10/battcursor-does-in-your-face-battery-alerts-using-aero-glass-and/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Just about every operating system out there includes some basic notification for a laptop's battery level. For Windows users who want to go beyond basic, give BattCursor a try.

One of the app's coolest features is the ability to warn you when your battery is low by altering the color of your window borders. By default it's set to yellow for low and red for critical, but you can specify any mix you like using RGB / alpha sliders. As you'd guess from the name, BattCursor can also display the current charge level beneath your pointer.

You can also set up some Vista / Windows 7 oriented battery saving measures. The battery tweaks page allows you to disable both Aero Glass and the Windows Sidebar when your battery reaches a certain level. BattCursor's tray icon also provides right-click access to quickly disable both features.

BattCursor can also automatically switch power profiles. Once enabled, your system will change from high performance to balanced to power saver at the charge levels you specify. The tray icon also provides access to the three default profiles.

If you still want more visual feedback, turn on the OSD to show changes in volume and backlight brightness.

I'm not certain I'd call BattCursor an essential app for laptop users, but it's still a great little program and packs a ton of useful features.

[via Into Windows]

Download SquadBattCursor does in-your-face battery alerts using Aero Glass and more originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aero-glassbatterychargefreewarelaptopmonitorMon, 10 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Get alerts when apps become resource-hungry with Usage Monitor]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/05/22/get-alerts-when-apps-become-resource-hungry-with-usage-monitor/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/05/22/get-alerts-when-apps-become-resource-hungry-with-usage-monitor/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/05/22/get-alerts-when-apps-become-resource-hungry-with-usage-monitor/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's usually pretty obvious when one of your Windows applications goes rogue and starts consuming more resources than it should. Your system becomes sluggish and unresponsive,

Usage Monitor is a small, free program that allows you to watch processes for excessive use of memory and GDI/user objects. Set a target on a process - say, 300Mb memory on Firefox - and Usage Monitor can alert you a number of different ways. You can choose system tray popups, message boxes, flash the UM taskbar icon, or even launch a task when an alert takes place.

Pair it with a simple batch file like this one that lets you send Twitter updates from the command prompt, and you've got a handy way to receive remote alerts when something goes awry.

If you'd prefer an app that goes a bit beyond monitoring and alerts, Process Lasso might be just the thing for you.

Download SquadGet alerts when apps become resource-hungry with Usage Monitor originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 22 May 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>freewaremonitorprocessessystem-resourcestask-managerFri, 22 May 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[F.lux adapts your display to the time of day]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/02/21/f-lux-adapts-your-display-to-the-time-of-day/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/02/21/f-lux-adapts-your-display-to-the-time-of-day/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/02/21/f-lux-adapts-your-display-to-the-time-of-day/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Let's face it: some of us don't get outside as much as we should. When you're working or playing in front of your computer all day, you don't always notice little things like a sunset. An ingenious little app called F.lux lets your monitor adjust to ambient lighting conditions around you, even when you're glued to the keyboard. It adjusts your display settings based on location and your current lighting setup, complementing the lighting inside your room or cube.

As time passes, F.lux checks the status of the sun in your zip code or latitude, and adjusts your display's color temperature accordingly. As a writer, I love the extra bit of environmental awareness it offers. As a designer, I would probably be utterly annoyed by shifting display settings. Good thing there's a handy "turn off for one hour" feature you can use to switch back to your regular whitepoint while you're working with color.

Download SquadF.lux adapts your display to the time of day originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>color-temperaturedisplayf.luxfluxlightlightingmonitorSat, 21 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Find and Fix Dead Pixels With Your Browser!]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/08/26/find-and-fix-dead-pixels-with-your-browser/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/08/26/find-and-fix-dead-pixels-with-your-browser/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/08/26/find-and-fix-dead-pixels-with-your-browser/#commentsFiled under: ,

You've probably heard of Dead Pixel Buddy, a free app that helps you locate dead or stuck pixels on your LCD monitor. One of our devoted readers has sent us an interesting alternative that runs in your browser.

Willy Ci has coded it as part of his portfolio, and it's elegantly simple. Pick a color with the palette tool, click go full screen, and your monitor is instantly awash in glorious pixel-hunting color.

Since it's browser-based, it'll run on any platform (as long as Adobe Flash is supported).

Both machines I used for testing had a slight issue escaping from full screen - the chooser didn't reappear, and my mouse pointer vanished. Simply mousing up to the tab bar and right-click reloading the tab solved the problem.

Once you've pinpointed the trouble spots, head over to killdeadpixel.com and see if you can't revive them with their trippy animated gif. Switching to one of the fullscreen modes makes stuck pixels easy to spot by giving you a black background to work with. No guarantees it'll wake them up, but it's worth a shot since most manufacturers won't warranty a screen with fewer than three problematic pixels.

Download SquadFind and Fix Dead Pixels With Your Browser! originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dead pixeldead pixelsDeadPixelDeadPixelsdisplaylcdmonitorstuckstuck pixelStuckPixelTue, 26 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gmail adding log-in monitoring features]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/07/08/gmail-adding-log-in-monitoring-features/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/07/08/gmail-adding-log-in-monitoring-features/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/07/08/gmail-adding-log-in-monitoring-features/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

gmail log-in monitoring features
Have you ever asked yourself, "Is someone else using my email account?" Well, if you're the cautious type, Google just added a few log-in monitoring features to its email service, so such paranoid questions won't feel so pressing anymore.

Wondering if you're Gmail account is open in multiple locations? Just look at the very, very bottom of the main Gmail page. It'll say something to the sound of: "This account is open in one other location." Click on the "details" link next to it to get taken to, well, a details page.

It'll give you the deets on the most recent sessions including the access type and IP address. It's not the end-all for email hijacking, but at the very least it'll help you point-out intruders. And if you don't see the feature yet, sit tight, Google is slowly rolling out the feature to all accounts.

Download SquadGmail adding log-in monitoring features originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accountemailgmailhijackintruderloginmonitormonitoringTue, 08 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Auto wallpaper multiple monitors with...AutoWallpaper]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/22/auto-wallpaper-multiple-monitors-with-autowallpaper/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/22/auto-wallpaper-multiple-monitors-with-autowallpaper/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/22/auto-wallpaper-multiple-monitors-with-autowallpaper/#commentsFiled under: ,

Are you lucky enough to have more than one monitor on your computer? Sure it looks cool, and it's fun to show off to friends..but it's very helpful with productivity too.

What's the first thing you do when you set up a new machine or monitor? Throw up fresh new wallpaper of course! Your mom, your cat, or your wife or girlfriend (hopefully not both, awkward!).

AutoWallpaper comes from a company called AlternativeRealities Software. It solves the multi-monitor / multi-wallpaper problem.

It's out for Windows and Mac and only costs $10. It's well worth it because you can not only manage wallpapers on your monitors, you can add effects and gradients as well.

My favorite feature though? Set your wallpapers to change whenever you want. That's right, if you want new wallpapers at exactly 9pm, you can do it.

Give it a shot and drop a link to a screenshot of your hot new wallpaper in the comments!

[Hat tip to snowbear]

Download SquadAuto wallpaper multiple monitors with...AutoWallpaper originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 22 May 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autowallpaperdesktopmacmonitorpcwallpaperThu, 22 May 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Spice up web analytics with some Basil]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2007/03/08/spice-up-web-analytics-with-some-basil/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2007/03/08/spice-up-web-analytics-with-some-basil/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2007/03/08/spice-up-web-analytics-with-some-basil/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

basil web analyticsJust when you thought the world of web analytics was a little bland, Basil arrives to spice things up a bit.

Basil takes out the pages of raw web traffic data that we once had to sift through and analyze, and does all the hard work for us. They provide easy to use clean interface design [reminding us of Mint] to make it easier for figuring out what the popular pages of your website are, and what search engine delivers the most traffic to your site.

Basil makes it easy to track the pages and data you want to check out by proving a dashboard of four major topic areas, visitors, pages, referrers, and search engines. Data is compiled in easy to read reports, you can check out a demo on the Basil website.

Basil web analytics is available for $25 U.S. which allows for installing the software on one domain.

[via eHub]

Download SquadSpice up web analytics with some Basil originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 08 Mar 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>basildatamonitorsearchsearch engineSearchEnginetrackingtrafficwebweb analyticsWebAnalyticsThu, 08 Mar 2007 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mint 2.0: Web stats package gets major upgrade]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2007/01/29/mint-2-0-web-statistics-package-gets-major-upgrade/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2007/01/29/mint-2-0-web-statistics-package-gets-major-upgrade/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2007/01/29/mint-2-0-web-statistics-package-gets-major-upgrade/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Mint 2.0: web statistics package receives major upgrade
As I get more serious about the writing I'm doing on a couple of personal sites, I've also become more interested in finding a good web statistics tool to learn everything I can about my visitors. This is why a 2.0 upgrade to Mint, a powerful and stylish web-based monitoring package we found back in 2005, couldn't have come at a better time. Created by Shaun Inman, web designer extraordinaire, Mint has everything you need to keep track of, well, everything you need to, along with a flourishing plugin community called the Peppermill for adding just about anything you want.

Now Mint 2.0 costs $30 per domain (upgrades from version 1 are $19), but after checking out the screencasts and live demo, you can color me sold. I've been bouncing between using monthly services like SiteMeter and even FeedBurner's new StandardStats for websites, and neither of them hold a candle to the style, extensibility, power and gorgeous design of Shaun's Mint. Besides, I'm always happier paying a lump sum over subscribing, so Mint is going to pay for itself in just a few months anyway.

If you're looking for one of the most impressive web stats packages that you can run on your own servers, Mint looks like a fantastic option.

[via Daring Fireball]

Download SquadMint 2.0: Web stats package gets major upgrade originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>commercialmintmonitormonitoringstatisticsweb statisticsWebStatisticsMon, 29 Jan 2007 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Analytics for everyone]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2006/08/16/google-analytics-for-everyone/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2006/08/16/google-analytics-for-everyone/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2006/08/16/google-analytics-for-everyone/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

google analytics website trackingGoogle has released its online analytics software to anyone that wants to use it to interact with their website.

Google Analytics lets users track visitors, identify navigational issues, track keywords, and where visitors are coming from. Analytics will also tie into your Google AdWords account and let you know how visitors found your site, where they came from, how they were referred, and measure your total AdWords campaign effectiveness.

Google also has a "Conversion University". A place where Analytics users can go to read up on marketing and content optimization tips from industry experts. Current new articles in the University include Increasing Conversions with Internal Search and Monitoring Visitor Conversion.

Google Analytics is simple to set up. Log in using your Google Account ID, and enter the domain you want to monitor first. Multiple domains can be added later. A code snippet has to be added to the end of all HTML pages that you wish to monitor. Google Analytics displays a nice dashboard with Executive, Conversion, Marketing, and Content summaries, as well as Marketing Optimization, and Content Optimization reports. I am currently testing it out, and so far so good. It is easily a welcome addition to your current tracking software.

Download SquadGoogle Analytics for everyone originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 16 Aug 2006 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adwordsanalyticscampaignconversion universityConversionUniversitydomaingooglegoogle accountgoogle newsGoogleAccountGoogleNewsinternal searchInternalSearchmonitornavigationoptimizationsearchtrack visitorstracking softwareTrackingSoftwareTrackVisitorsweb statsWebStatsWed, 16 Aug 2006 14:50:00 EST<![CDATA[AOL Active Security Monitor review]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2006/07/31/aol-active-security-monitor-review/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2006/07/31/aol-active-security-monitor-review/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2006/07/31/aol-active-security-monitor-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

AOL Active Security Monitor
There are tons of threatening viruses, spyware, and other yucky things out there in the world wide web. They have the powers to potentially access your computer if it is not locked down with security software, ensuring there are no kinds of intrusions and any malicious hacking going on. Is your computer protected against the many potentially dangerous things floating around the internet? Do you know for sure? How can you know for sure? And how do you get started and stay on top of your computers security? AOL has made it easier. A whole lot easier at ensuring you know how your computer is doing, staying up to date with its security, and protecting against all things threatening. I recently installed AOL's Active Security Monitor to check out my systems vitals, and how I was doing at staying secure on the machines I connect to the internet with. I knew I was lacking in some areas, but not that much!

Disclosure: Download Squad is owned by AOL. Nonetheless, the following is a completely unbiased review of AOL's Active Security Monitor software by myself. I absolutely loved it, and think it does a very effective job at ensuring users know how secure their computer really is and aiding in increasing security when needed.

Continue reading AOL Active Security Monitor review

Download SquadAOL Active Security Monitor review originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 31 Jul 2006 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>active security monitorActiveSecurityMonitoraolaolasmasmbrowsercomputerfirewallfreewarehackinghome networkHomeNetworkinternetmonitornetwork securityNetworkSecurityp2ppcpeer to peerPeerToPeersafety scoreSafetyScoresecurityspywarespyware protectionSpywareProtectionutilitiesvirusvirus protectionVirusProtectionwifiwindowswireless securityWirelessSecuritywormsxpMon, 31 Jul 2006 13:20:00 EST<![CDATA[MultiRes for fast resolution switching]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2006/01/18/multires-for-fast-resolution-switching/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2006/01/18/multires-for-fast-resolution-switching/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2006/01/18/multires-for-fast-resolution-switching/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

multiresI never used QuickRes, because back in Win95 I never needed so many different resolutions. Nowadays, between 3d apps and word processing, I find myself switching resolutions all too frequently. And of course with multiple monitors, and various sizes becoming the norm, it's all too easy to jump resolutions on a regular basis. So Lockergnome alerted me to a little free app called MultiRes, which is a lot like QuickRes. It's just a little tray item that opens up all the resolutions for each monitor (you can't create new ones, just access the ones from the drivers) and allows you to switch quickly. There are also scripting capabilities, which is pretty cool for you CLI guys.

Download SquadMultiRes for fast resolution switching originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 18 Jan 2006 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>freewaremonitormultiresresolutiontrayWed, 18 Jan 2006 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Zoomin: Today's free file]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2005/09/12/zoomin-allows-zooming-on-windows/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2005/09/12/zoomin-allows-zooming-on-windows/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2005/09/12/zoomin-allows-zooming-on-windows/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

zoominOne of my favorite tricks in OS X is the zoom feature. I can blow tiny UI elements up to a huge size so my students can see those teeny flippy triangles in all those Macromedia apps. Long have I sought a version of this on Windows. Microsoft's little task bar replacement ain't cutting it. But it looks like Zoomin will fit the bill nicely. Zoomin even provides a little windowed interface with color reporting tools. Another simple but effective app. There's even the source code available.

Download SquadZoomin: Today's free file originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 12 Sep 2005 08:03:39 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>displayfreewaremicrosoftopensourcezoomMon, 12 Sep 2005 08:03:39 EST<![CDATA[iChatStaus a thing of the past]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2005/06/30/ichat-staus-a-thing-of-the-past/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2005/06/30/ichat-staus-a-thing-of-the-past/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2005/06/30/ichat-staus-a-thing-of-the-past/#commentsFiled under: , ,

 iChatStatus used to be the hip iChat plug-in that let you display your current iTunes track in a number of ways (albeit small, but a number). But since Tiger's version of iChat (3.0) hasiChatStatus been out, many people have just simply stopped using iChatStatus. iChat 3.0 comes with the option of displaying your iTunes music track while you're chatting. Plus, iChatStatus hasn't been updated in quite awhile. Sorry iChatStatus. You were good to us before you got mauled to death. We salute you!

Download SquadiChatStaus a thing of the past originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Jun 2005 23:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleAudioDisplayiChatiChatStatusiTunesMessagenewsStatusTigerThu, 30 Jun 2005 23:31:00 EST